Package holidays (For the competent of mind)
Discussion
I've always been very much an independent traveller and have never been on a package holiday. I've occasionally 'hitched a lift' on a chartered aircraft with 'package folk' and it's tended to be a good reminder about why I put the effort in to creating my own holidays.
But... you get to a certain age... and you wonder whether, maybe, once in a while, it might be nice to have the holiday taken care of from start to finish. Not necessarily full board, I haven't entirely lost my sense of adventure, but in terms of travel, accommodation etc.
But who are the best package holiday operators?
I'm thinking Med; but not Spain.
France, Greece, Turkey are fine.
Italy and (the country formerly known as) Yugoslavia too. Probably.
A lot of the household names seem to have established their holiday version of 'Tesco Finest', (includng premium pricing) but a quick click through to TripAdvisor soon puts the glossy ads into some perspective. And I've peered into some of their 'posh' resorts when out in the Med before - and premium, they aint.
Kids-free resorts would be a boon. But I tend to travel during term time, so it's not a major issue.
So who comes recommended? I used to hear good things about Mark Warner, but some correspondents seem to be suggesting that the benefits they used to offer took a severe haircut last summer.
What do you know?
But... you get to a certain age... and you wonder whether, maybe, once in a while, it might be nice to have the holiday taken care of from start to finish. Not necessarily full board, I haven't entirely lost my sense of adventure, but in terms of travel, accommodation etc.
But who are the best package holiday operators?
I'm thinking Med; but not Spain.
France, Greece, Turkey are fine.
Italy and (the country formerly known as) Yugoslavia too. Probably.
A lot of the household names seem to have established their holiday version of 'Tesco Finest', (includng premium pricing) but a quick click through to TripAdvisor soon puts the glossy ads into some perspective. And I've peered into some of their 'posh' resorts when out in the Med before - and premium, they aint.
Kids-free resorts would be a boon. But I tend to travel during term time, so it's not a major issue.
So who comes recommended? I used to hear good things about Mark Warner, but some correspondents seem to be suggesting that the benefits they used to offer took a severe haircut last summer.
What do you know?
Likewise, another independent traveller, but now with 2 kids.
We bought a house in France so we could avoid package holidays, but found ourselves craving definite sun - so headed off to the Canaries in Feb.
We used Thomson to book the flights and accomodation, at a silly price. They flew us out Thomas Cook and back on Thomson. Thomson were much better. Almost everyone on the flight appeared to be middle aged couples aged 50+.
The reps left us alone and we self catered in our villa on a large complex.
It was package, but not - if that makes sense. I would find it hard to put too much fault on Thomson.
We bought a house in France so we could avoid package holidays, but found ourselves craving definite sun - so headed off to the Canaries in Feb.
We used Thomson to book the flights and accomodation, at a silly price. They flew us out Thomas Cook and back on Thomson. Thomson were much better. Almost everyone on the flight appeared to be middle aged couples aged 50+.
The reps left us alone and we self catered in our villa on a large complex.
It was package, but not - if that makes sense. I would find it hard to put too much fault on Thomson.
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